School Milk Nutrition Act Of 2017 Introduced in the House

Source: Joe Courtney (D-CT, 2nd)

Washington, D.C. - October 25, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Representatives Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-05) and Joe Courtney (CT-02) today introduced H.R. 4101, the School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017, which will ease unnecessary regulations preventing milk consumption in school lunch programs.

The bipartisan bill recognizes the importance of milk to the health and well-being of school children. It also works to improve the variety and availability of milk offered in schools, which was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue earlier this year.

In May, Secretary Purdue directed USDA to begin the process of allowing schools to serve 1 percent flavored milk through the school meals program.

“Milk is the No. 1 source of nine essential nutrients in many young American’s diets and provides many significant health benefits,” Rep. Thompson said. “The School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017 seeks to reverse the decline of milk consumption in schools throughout Pennsylvania and across the country. By allowing children more milk options – including flavored milk – it is my hope that we will witness consumption return to their historic levels and kids will again be able to enjoy milk. I am certainly encouraged by the Agriculture Secretary Perdue’s support, and I look forward to continuing to work with Rep. Courtney to pass this important piece of legislation.”

“Milk is a cornerstone of a healthy meal for our nation’s children,” Rep. Courtney said. “It packs valuable nutrients including protein, potassium, and calcium—a solid foundation for building a healthy menu in America’s schools. With declining milk consumption in recent years, our bill provides school systems the flexibility to offer students a wider range of healthy milk options. I am proud to join with Rep. Thompson to offer this proposal to expand milk varieties in schools while also supporting local dairy production.”

The School Milk Nutrition Act is strongly supported by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).

“Congressmen Thompson and Courtney recognize the nutritional role that milk plays in helping school-aged children to grow and develop to their full potential,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “We appreciate their steadfast commitment to reverse declining milk consumption by allowing schools to give kids access to a variety of milk options, including the flavored milks they love.”

“When kids don’t drink milk, it’s extremely difficult for them to get sufficient amounts of three of the four major nutrients most lacking in childrens’ diets: calcium, potassium, and vitamin D,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “This legislation helps address that shortcoming both in schools and in the WIC program.”

Key Provisions of the School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017:

Preserve milk’s integral role in school meals by reaffirming the requirement that milk is offered with each meal, that varieties of milk is consistent with the DGA, and that substitute beverages be nutritionally equivalent to milk.

Provide schools the option of offering low-fat (1%) flavored milk, rather than only fat- free – but only if the milk contains no more than 150 calories per 8-ounce serving.

Eliminate unnecessary and cumbersome paperwork for schools who wish to offer students more variety.

Allow milk to be sold in the same age-appropriate container sizes as competing beverages.

Establish a pilot program designed to increase milk consumption through expanded breakfast programs, a la carte sales, new outlets, etc., with a focus on improvements to packaging, refrigeration, flavors and merchandising.

Allow mothers in the WIC program to select reduced-fat milk (2%) for themselves or their children with a written request.

CORKER STATEMENT AT HEARING ON MODERNIZING FOOD FOR PEACE PROGRAM

Source: Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) - (R - TN)

Washington, D.C. - October 23, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- With an estimated 815 million people suffering from hunger and 20 million at risk of starvation worldwide, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday made the following statement at a hearing to examine current policies governing the delivery of food aid through the Food for Peace program and ways to use existing resources more efficiently to reach more people in need.

“We are currently facing a historic humanitarian crisis with over 800 million people worldwide who are in need of food aid.

“The United States continues to be the world leader in providing more than a third of all emergency food aid—over $2 billion annually.

“Sadly, despite our generosity, there are shortfalls from what is needed due to other donor nations not fully meeting the challenge.

“In next year’s Farm Bill deliberations, we have an opportunity to do more without having to spend more money.

“A little over half of our food aid is provided through the Farm Bill, saddling our Food for Peace program with U.S. commodity and cargo preference requirements.

“The Farm Bill requires aid to be sourced almost entirely from U.S. farmers, half of which must be shipped on U.S.-flagged vessels according to cargo preference rules.

“Because of these utterly ridiculous requirements, only 35 to 40 cents of each dollar is actually used to provide food to people who are starving.

“If we relaxed the commodity preference to match the needs overseas, the overhead costs would drop dramatically. U.S. farmers would still play a vital role in the program, and we would free up over 300 million dollars to be used to feed up to 9.5 million more starving people each year.

“One of the major obstacles to modernizing Food for Peace are those who continue to support and profit from cargo preference rules.

“Representatives of the shipping industry claim that food aid has a significant impact on U.S. maritime jobs and our military sealift capacity to move defense materials overseas.

“I’ve asked our witnesses, we have two panels today, to provide the committee with facts, analysis and sound research to determine whether this is true.

“For example, the industry argues that 40 ships and 2,000 mariners needed for military sealift are at stake should we reduce the amount of food aid we ship from the U.S.

“A simple review of USAID data shows that, in 2016, only five U.S.-flagged ships—out of a fleet of 175—arguably rely on food aid shipments to stay afloat—let me say this: only one of which is even capable of carrying military cargo. One.

“Some have even questioned why we have cargo preference at all since there is little supporting evidence that the requirement effectively secures naval sealift capacity.

“For example, the vast majority of food aid is moved on ships incapable of moving military cargoes, and the ones that can already receive a $5 million a year subsidy.

“According to Navy officials briefing our committee earlier this year, we maintain a Strategic Sealift Officer Reserve program that can meet virtually all of our mariner sealift mobilization requirements.

“We also cannot forget the human toll of commodity and cargo preferences, with millions of people who go hungry each year unnecessarily because of these two ridiculous requirements that Congress places on food aid.

“One of our witnesses, Dr. Barrett of Cornell University, will testify later that research suggests at least 40,000 children die annually who would otherwise be saved if we reformed this system.

“There are few areas in government where we can have more impact on more lives without additional resources than by modernizing the Food for Peace program.

“I urge all my colleagues to listen to today’s testimony [and] work with us to make common sense changes in food aid that are long overdue.

“And let me just say this, I spoke to the Tennessee Farm Bureau, each state has one. The audience was aghast at the fact that here in Washington those people that quote, quote represent them with .1 percent of U.S. ag production going to this. Not 1 percent, .1 percent.

“They were aghast at the fact that Congress has people up here in the name of protecting them. These are good people who care about their communities. They care about people around the world. They were aghast at the fact that Congress had these ridiculous requirements in place and that people are starving because of these ridiculous requirements when their goal is to feed America and to feed the world.”

To read more about hunger at the Ponder news click here

Introduction of Farm to School Act

Source: House Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE, 1st)
Source: House Representative Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH, 11th)



Washington, D.C. - September 12, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), together with Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), introduced the Farm to School Act of 2017 to enhance the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Grant program. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) introduced identical legislation in the U.S. Senate.

“Linking America’s farms to schools to provide local nutritious options for children is an exciting policy goal,” said Fortenberry. “The Farm to School program adds fresh, healthy meal choices for students and teachers, brings ag education to the classroom for the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and prioritizes food to tribal schools from tribal agricultural producers. Building upon previous efforts to connect local farmers and students, it expands market opportunities for our beginning farmers and veteran agricultural producers.”

The bill covers a range of dynamic new options for schools and expands participation of the program to include preschools, after-school programs, and summer food service sites.

MORE HEALTHY OPTIONS IN SCHOOL CAFETERIAS:

Washington, D.C. - July 28, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME-02) is reintroducing his bipartisan Fruit and Vegetable Access for Children Act, a bill that will give our children greater access to healthy fruits and vegetables in their school cafeterias.

The bill, which has the support of four Democratic and four Republican original cosponsors, will allow schools to have the option to use the money from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) to purchase additional forms of fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen, canned, pureed, and dried—expanding the number of nutritious food options for schoolchildren.

Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:

“Our children should have greater access and more nutritious choices when it comes to the foods they eat at their school cafeterias,” said Congressman Poliquin. “As a parent, I believe it’s very important for our kids to have the opportunity to eat healthy fruits and vegetables, such as Maine wild blueberries, all school year round. I’m proud to join with my Democratic and Republican colleagues in pushing this bipartisan legislation forward.”

Said Nancy McBrady, Executive Director of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, “Maine frozen wild blueberries are an example of an extremely healthy and delicious fruit that is frozen at peak ripeness that locks in its nutritional benefits and can be used all year round. The more options schools—and our children—have for consuming healthy and affordable fruits and vegetables, the better. The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine is happy to support Congressman Poliquin's bill.”

According to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there is overwhelming nutritional consensus that Americans should increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried. In its various forms, fruit and vegetables are nutritionally similar. The FFVP, whose goal is to educate children on the foods they eat, ensures school children in low-income areas across the country receive nutritious snacks while learning about the many benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. By including these forms of fruit and vegetables, we ensure they have a comprehensive education.

Congressman Poliquin’s bipartisan bill would allow schools to maximize the value of program dollars. This bill ensures that schools have the options they need to continue to encourage a healthy diet throughout the school year. It gives schools flexibility in the use of their FFVP funds for the well-being of both our children and our schools.

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